US safety agency opens probe into Waymo self-driving cars over school bus violations

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation on Monday into 2,895 self-driving vehicles operated by Waymo, the autonomous driving unit of Alphabet, after repeated reports of the cars driving past school buses that were displaying flashing red lights or extended stop signs.

The recall query will assess whether a software fix Waymo released in December 2025 was sufficient. According to the agency, most of the recorded violations occurred after November 2025, when the company said the update had been fully deployed.

The school district in Austin, Texas, has documented 19 separate violations, including one incident in which a driverless car stopped briefly and then moved forward while a student was crossing the road. Six more violations were recorded in Atlanta, Georgia. The regulator opened a separate investigation in January after a Waymo vehicle struck a child near a school in Santa Monica, California.